1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure is directed to fiber optic cable assemblies and related components, securing methods, and/or fiber optic cable preparation methods for securing a fiber optic cable with a retention body or the like for connectorization.
2. Technical Background
Optical fiber is increasingly being used for a variety of applications, including but not limited to broadband voice, video, and data transmission. Benefits of optical fiber use include extremely wide bandwidth and low noise operation. With the increasing and varied use of optical fibers, it is important to provide efficient methods of interconnecting optical fibers. Fiber optic connectors have been developed for this purpose. It is important that fiber optic connectors not significantly attenuate or alter the transmitted signal. In addition, the fiber optic connector should be relatively rugged and adapted to be connected and disconnected a number of times in order to accommodate changes in the optical fiber transmission path. Because of the skill required in making optical fiber connections, fiber optic cables for fiber to the subscriber and/or other applications are typically preconnectorized with fiber optic connectors by the manufacturer for plug and play connectivity.
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates two different typical installations for preconnectorized fiber optic cables 10 and 10′ being routed to a subscriber. Specifically, FIG. 1 shows a first preconnectorized fiber optic cable 10 being routed to a premises 12 in an aerial installation. A second preconnectorized fiber optic cable 10′ is routed to the premises 12 in a buried installation. In the aerial installation, a first end 14 of the preconnectorized fiber optic cable 10 is attached at a first interface device 16 located at, or near, a pole 18. A second end 24 of the preconnectorized fiber optic cable 10 is attached at a second interface device 22 located at the premises 12. By way of example, the first interface device 16 may be a closure, multiport (a device having multiple receptacles), or the like. The second interface device 22 may be a closure, network interface device (NID), optical network terminal (ONT), or the like. In the aerial installation, the craft typically uses a pressure clamp 26 (i.e., a p-clamp), as schematically shown in FIG. 1, for securing the preconnectorized fiber optic cable 10 under tension at, or near, pole 18 and/or premises 12, thereby avoiding undue sag in preconnectorized the fiber optic cable 10 along the aerial span. In the buried application, the first and second ends of preconnectorized cable 10′ are respectively connected to the interface device 16 located inside a pedestal, a vault, or like 20 and interface device 22.
Termination of fiber optic cables with a simple, reliable, and easy to assemble hardened connector for fiber to the subscriber applications as depicted in FIG. 1 is challenging for many reasons. For instance, the termination should seal to inhibit the ingress of moisture, withstand rugged handling by the craft and endure environmental effects. One test to determine ruggedness of the termination is a pull-out test. The pull-out test measures the force required for mechanical failure by separating the fiber optic cable from the hardened connector when pulling on the fiber optic cable when the connector is fixed. Typical hardened connectors strain relieved the strength members by totally exposing the strength elements from the fiber optic cable and then strain relieving the same with the hardened connector. Illustratively, one commercially successful hardened connector termination is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,090,407 The disclosed design of the '407 patent can handle different types of fiber optic cables, but the preparation of the fiber optic cables requires totally exposing the strength elements from the fiber optic cable.
Totally exposing the strength elements from some fiber optic cables for termination is easy if there is little to no bond of the strength element with the cable jacket. However, many fiber optic cables used for outdoor applications have a high-degree of bonding between the strength element and the cable jacket. Thereby making total exposure of the strength elements for termination difficult and/or time consuming. Thus, there is an unresolved a need for a robust fiber optic cable termination that is simple, reliable, and easy to assemble.